Wing plow structure



June 30, 1953 e. L. KAESER 3,

WING PLOW STRUCTURE Filed March 14, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. eaa pefllihwea' mag Mia

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Patented June 30, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WING" PLOW STRUCTURE George L. Kaeser, Hartford, Colin;

Application-March 14, 1947; Serial No. 734,575

1 Claim.

1 My invention relates to improvements in wingplow structures for vehicles, of a type adapted to lie laterally at an oblique angle on the side of a vehicle to push the snow, dirt or other substance to be removed laterally as the vehicle moves forward. While I am aware that wing trips have been employed hitherto insnow plows, so far as I am aware they have always been employed in association with a plow for the front of the vehicle such as a mold board plow and the wings have usually been mounted on the rear ends of the plow itself without trips.

A main object of my invention is to rigidly mount the wing on the vehicle entirely independently of any plow for the front of the vehicle and preferably so that the wing will lie at an oblique angle laterallyof the vehicle behind the front wheels. This results in many advantages over mounting it on the plow, in that a more rigid mounting is permitted and that the wing may be raised and lowered independently of the front plow, if employed, so that it may be used without any front plow, if desired, a feature not possible where the wings are mounted on the front plow.

A further advantage of mounting the wing at a spaced distance behind the rear" end of the front plow is that asuction is often created by said rear end tending to pile up snow in the vacuum formed by the moving plow, resulting in masses of snow and ice collecting at the point of connection of the wing to the rear end of the plow. With my device, this tendency to mass snow at this point is eliminated. In addition, it is possible to more rigidly mount the wing independently of the front plow so that it may be raised and lowered and swiveled entirely independently thereof and it is also apparent that a wing so mounted is not subject to any shock which may affect the front plow. It is also apparent that inasmuch as a space is left between the rear edge of the plow and wing that the work is split up between two inclined planes with the second having more independent momentum than if it were attached aspart of the firstinclined plane.

A further feature ofthis mounting resides in the fact that it is easier to mount the swivelling element thereof on the back of the vehicle so that the wing may be rigidly supported, not only atits pivot point but from-the rear.

A-further feature of this construction resides in the fact that as the wing is mounted independently of the frontplow' it may have a wider swivelly mounted on the inner edge of the front plow.

A further feature of my invention resides in the fact that I employ a hydraulic system to raise and lower the wing on its support or pivot and that I also provide an additional hydraulic system to swivel the wing on its support. This provides a. compact system having no exposed cables or parts which tend to become encrusted with snow orice in-use, a system which provides a powerful means for raising and lowering and swivelling the plow and one which is immediately responsive as the movable parts always ride on the oil and are better cushioned thereby in use than if mounted on a rigid portion.

A further object of my invention is that I so construct and pivotally yieldingly mount the wing on the frame so that its lower end may pivot or trip inwardly on abutment of a low obstruction against its lower end, in other words, so that it may readily trip over any low obstruction and be immediately forced back by a return spring to a substantially vertical plowing position. I am able to do this by a new feature of construction by mounting a jib plate so that it may be raisedorloweredon a-rigid hydraulic mast and also swivel on said mast and I pivotally mount the wing on the outer end of said jib plate so that a cooperating return spring for the wing may be mounted on-said wingandjib plate.

A- further feature of my invention resides in the fact that I so construct my improved device that the entire wing may yieldingly swivel inwardly on-abutment ofa high obstruction against said wing without interfering With the operation of any other part of the plow or vehicle and for this purpose I preferably employ a pressure relief valve in a by-pass line connected only to the swivelling hydraulic cylinder.

A further feature of my invention is that I provide a Wing plow which itis almost impossible to damage, as the wing may trip or tilt on abutment of a low obstruction against its lower edge and be immediately urged to a vertical plowing position after it has passed said low obstruction and the entire wing may yieldingly swivel inwardly on abutment of a high obstruction against said wing.

Further features of my invention relate to the specific construction of the various parts, including the specific structure of the wing trip, and the means" I employ for rigidly mounting the wing and its supporting jibplate on a mast rigidly mounted on' the frame of the vehicle independangle of swivel than that permitted if it is 68' ently of the frontplow.

These and such other objects of my invention as may hereinafter appear will be best understood from a description of an embodiment thereof such as is shown in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a truck chassis equipped with my improved wing plow structure, showing the wing in operating position in full lines, swiveled to a small oblique angle relative t the truck frame, swiveled to an extreme outward position in dotted lines and raised to an upper inoperative position in dash lines.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the truck having my invention attached shown in Fig. 1 looking towards the side having a wing thereon.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view looking from the rear towards the wing side of the truck shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the truck shown in Figs. 1-3 showing the wing in inoperative position in full lines and in operative outwardly swiveled position in dotted lines.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the hydraulic system employed both to raise and swivel the wing.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 'i| of Fig. 5. I

Fig. 8 is a sectionalview taken along the line 88 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the wing trip portions of the jib plate and wing and connecting parts.

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic end perspective view showing the end of the wing about to pass over a low obstruction.

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic side elevation similar to Fig. 10, showing how the wing trips or tilts as it passes over said low obstruction.

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic end perspective view of the jib plate and wing showing its tripping parts and the hydraulic cylinder for swivelling the wing with its connecting pipe, about to abut a high obstruction.

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 12, showing how the high obstruction has yieldingly pushed the entire wing inwardly so that it may pass by it without injuring any portion of the wing.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference generally indicate like parts throughout, generally indicates a wing plow structure constructed in accordance with my invention. As stated, my invention is adapted to be used in any type of vehicle 22 having a frame 23, but is preferably employed on a self-propelled vehicle such as an automobile truck 22 propelled by a gas engine (not shown). Y

Broadly, I provide means to raise and lower said wing plow 20, means to swivel said wing plow inwardly and outwardly on a pivot adjacent the front portion of the vehicle in rear of the front wheels 24 and means to yieldingly pivotally mount said wing. on said frame, so that its lower end may pivot inwardly or trip on abutment of a low obstruction against its lower edge and/or so that the entire wing may yieldingly swivel inwardly on abutment of a high obstruction against said wing.

To mount said wing 20 on said frame, I rigidly mount a hollow mast 26 on the frame to extend vertically upwardly beside the front portion thereof in rear of the front wheels, 24. I provide a jib plate 28 swivelly mounted on said mast and I provide means to raise. and lower saidv jib;

plate on said mast, said means being preferably fluid expansible. I also provide means interposed between the rear end of the frame 23 and the outer end of said jib plate 28 to swivel said jib plate inwardly and outwardly, said means being also preferably fluid expansible. The wing 20 is pivotally mounted on the outer surface of said jib plate, so that its lower edge 30 may pivot inwardly and I provide the spring means 32 mounted on said wing 20 and jib plate 28 to normally urge said wing to a vertical position yieldable to permit said pivoting.

I may provide fluid pressure means having the control handle 34 adjacent the drivers seat to actuate said mast fluid expansible means to raise and lower said jib plate 28 and wing 20, and I may provide fluid pressure means having a control handle 36 adjacent the drivers seat to actuate said swivelling fluid expansible means to swivel said jib plate and wing on said mast and as means to permit the entire wing and jib plate to swivel inwardly on the abutment of a high obstructionagainst said wing I provide a by-pass line 38 connecting said swivelling fluid expansible means to said fluid pressure means, having a pressure relief valve 40 thereinto permit excessive lateral pressure against said wing to pivot it inwardly.

While my improved device may be constructed in any suitable manner, it is preferably constructed as follows: I provide the holding mast 26 and rigidly mount it on a rigid base 42 projecting laterally from underneath the frame as r shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This may, if desired, be

part of the mechanism as shown for mounting a V plow on the same truck or it may be a special separate connection to form a base for rigidly mounting the mast on the vehicle frame. As stated, my improved mast 26 preferably extends vertically upwardly besides the front portion of said frame 23 in rear of the front wheels 24. Said mast has the closed lower end formed by the supporting base plate 42 and a longitudinal slot 44 of a width to extend substantially circumferentially from the outer side to the rear thereof substantially throughout the height of said mast 26. I may, if desired, supply additional means to mount the mast 26 rigidly on said frame such as the guy rod 46 projectin forwardly and downwardly to the front portion 48 of the frame and the side guy rod 50 connected to another rigidly mounted frame portion 52 such as the opposite end 54 of the frame 56 which may be employed for mounting the front plow thereon.

a I also may, if desired, provide a lower guy rod 58 connecting the lower end of the mast to a rear portionof the frame 23.

In the preferred embodiment shown I preferably construct the fluid expansible means for raising the jib plate 28 as follows, i. e., as comprising cooperating telescopic Shelby tubing and for this purpose I provide an inverted external cylinder 60 having an open lower end 62 contained within saidmast-ZB, having the jib plate 28 soldered or otherwise secured thereto to project radially therefrom a substantial distance through said slot 44 to swivel back and forth from an outer position near right'angles to said frame 23 to an inoperative position adjacent the vehicle frame. Said jib plate has an outer portion 64 of less heightthan its inner portion (see Fig. 5), having a vertical pivot fin 66 projecting outwardly from adjacent the outer end thereof, a hole 68 ,thereinabove said pivot fin and. a vertical pivot finlfl projectin inwardly therefrom.

I also provide an internal supporting cylinder I2 telescopically contained within said external cylinder 58 projecting upwardly from the base 42 of said mast 28, having a radial inlet and exhaust hole I3 aligned with an inlet and exhaust hole 56 in said mast near the base thereof. I also provide a piston 78, vertically reciprocal in said internal supporting cylinder I2, having a piston rod 88 projecting upwardly therefrom to the top of said inverted external cylinder 60, whereby fluid pressure admitted through said inlet holes l6 and Id may raise said external cylinder 68 and said attached jib plate 28,,and the weight of said external cylinder 60 and said attached jib plate 28 may cause said jib plate and cylinder to drop to exhaust. fluid through said aligned holes I4 and I6. It is thus apparent that when fluid is admitted inwardly through the holes 18 and 13 that the external cylinder 60 and attached jib plate 28 will be raised and when fluid pressure is released in said holes that said external cylinder 60 and attached jib plate 28 will drop.

In the specific embodiment shown, as the fluid expansible means to swivel said jib plate on said mast 26 as a pivot, I provide an internal cylinder 82 mounted to swivel in a substantially horizontal plane on the rear end of the frame 23 in rear of said hollow mast 26, such as by the pivot hinge 84 shown. Said cylinder has the fluid inlet and exhaust hole 88 adjacent said frame. As a part of said fluid expansible means, I also provide an external cylinder 88 of larger diameter telescopically mounted on said internal cylinder 82, having its closed outer end mounted on said jib plate fin I0 to pivot in a horizontal plane as by the pivot knuckle hinge 90. I provide the piston 92 horizontally reciprocal in said internal cylinder 82 having a piston rod 94 connected to the outer end of said external cylinder 88 and I provide retraction spring means 96 connecting said jib plate fln I0 to the rear portion of said frame 28 near said pivot knuckle 84 to normally pull said jib plate inwardly to inoperative position adjacent the frame whereby fluid pressure admitted through said cylinder hole 86 may pivot said jib plate outwardly and said spring 96 may pivot said jib plate inwardly on drop of pressure within said hole.

The plow wing 20 may have the arcuate outer surface 88 and a vertical fin I00 substantially centrally of its inner surface. I provide means such as the pivot pin I32 to pivotally mount said rearwardly projecting wing fin I90 on said outer jib plate fin 68 so that said wing may pivot vertically on said horizontal pivot I02. I also provide the trip rod I83 pivotally mounted by the pivot pin I36 on the upper end of said wing fin I80 extending inwardly through said jib plate hole 88 and having an abutment such as the nut I08 on its inner end. I provide a trip coil spring IIO interposed between said abutment I08 and said jib plate 23 around said hole 68 to normally urge said trip rod to a position holding the lower end IE2 of said wing in a vertical position as shown in Fig. 10, vertically yieldable to a contracted position as shown in Fig. 11 to permit inward tipping or tripping of the lower edge II2 of said wing over an abutment H4 as shown in Fig. 11 when, after it has passed the abutment II l, the spring Iii} may again expand to again position the lower end I I2 of said wing in a vertical position. I may also provide a lighter counterbalancing spring II6 interposed between said jib plate 23 and trip rod pivot I06.

' I have shown in Fig. 5 a composite fluid system which may provide fluid pressure for actuating the fluid expansible means 3I for raising the jib plate '23 and the fluid expansible means 33 for swivell'ing the wing 28. Said fluid system includes the storage reservoir or tank I26, the pump I22 connected thereto by the pipe I24, the supply and exhaust pipe I26 leading to the inlet holes IA- f said mast cylinders, having the manually operated two way valve I28 therein. I also provide a supply and exhaust pipe I29 leading to the inlet hole 86 of said horizontal cylinder, having a manually operated two way valve I30 therein. As stated, said valves I28 and I38 each preferably have the handles 34 and 3%; respectively adjacent the drivers seat. Each valve I28 and I36 has an inlet vent I32 and I34 respectively connected by a common pipe I36 to the pump I22. Each valve I28 and I30 also has an outlet vent I31 and I33 respectively connected by a common pipe I40 with the respective connecting pipe I42 and IM to the storage reservoir I20. It is thus obvious that by moving the valve 34 in line with the inlet vent I32 that fluid pressure will be admitted to the expansible means 3| of the mast to raise the mast cylinder 60 and its connected jib plate 28 and wing 20 upwardly and when it is moved to be connected respectively to its outlet vent I37, the weight of the jib plate 28, wing 20 and cylinder 60 will force the fluid out through the pipe I28 and through the outlet vent I31 of said Valve I28 through the pipes I42 and I48 to the storage reservoir I20 as said cylinder 60, jib plate 28 and wing drop.

It is also obvious that when the handle 36 brings the valve I30 opposite the inlet vent I34 that pressure will be introduced through the pipe I29 through the hole 86 in the inner portion of the cylinder 82 to actuate the piston 92 to swivel the wing 20 and jib plate 23 on the mast 26 as a pivot so that when the handle 36 is turned to bring the valve duct in alignment with the outlet duct I38 that the spring 96 will urge the cylinder 88 inwardly to force fluid outwardly through the hole 86, pipe I29, exhaust duct I38 and pipes I44 and I40 to the reservoir or tank I20. I

I also provide the by-pass pipe 38 directly connecting said horizontal cylinder pipe I29 to the storage reservoir I20. Said pipe has an adjustable pressure relief valve -30 therein settable to exhaust therethrough at any desired pressure, whereby as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, should any high obstruction such as the obstruction I50 shown therein abut the wing 20, it will urge the wing 20, the jib plate 26 and the expansible means 33 inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 13, so that said wing may swing past said obstruction I50 without injury to any parts thereof.

It is understood that my invention is not limited to the specific embodiment shown and that various deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In a wing plow construction, a vehicle having a frame and front wheels, 2. vertical mast on said frame at the side thereof to the rear of said front wheels, an elongated horizontal strut having one end mounted on said mast for vertical movement there along and pivoted thereto for horizontal swinging of said strut relative to said frame, an elongated plow blade mounted on the other end of said strut for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis parallel to the lower edge substantial angle to said frame, and means in 10 said system permitting said strut and blade to swing inwardly upon overload when said blade meets with an obstruction higher than the pivotal axis of said blade, said last-named means including a by-pass and relief valve.

GEORGE L. KAESER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Protzeller Aug. 2, 1932 Weeks Sept. 19, 1933 Ross Feb. 4, 1936 Choate et al Feb. 18, 1936 Henry Sept. 22, 1936 Fitch Feb. 2, 1937 Abbe Sept. 28, 1937 Austin Dec. 7, 1937 Simonds Sept. 13, 1938 Frink Mar. 12, 1940 Keeler May 20, 1941 Austin Oct. 20, 1942 Carey Apr. 10, 1945 

